Ah, how refreshing it feels to get outside for a walk in the sun. Whether you’re hitting your favorite trail, heading to the beach, or doing something cardio around your neighborhood, getting into a regular environment walking routine It does wonders for the mind, body and soul. It can give you the boost of mood and energy you’re looking for, strengthen your bones and muscles, help eliminate excess body fatand prevent certain healthy conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. Let’s face it: doing the same exercises at the gym can be pretty mundane, so we’ve rounded up three easy walking exercises you’ll actually want to do.
We spoke with Laura Endresa personal trainer in suitable, about the best walking workouts you’ll want to add to your exercise regimen. (For those of you who don’t know, Fyt is the nation’s largest personal training service that makes fitness under the expert guidance of a certified physical or virtual fitness professional convenient and accessible to everyone.) friend or do these workouts alone. Regardless, you’ll be burning calories and having a great time while getting in some much-needed cardio.
Take a look at these easy walking exercises below, then be sure to read on. The 6 Best Exercises for Strong, Toned Arms in 2022, Says a Trainer.
“I don’t know what intervals are about, but I love them so much,” Endres tells us. “It’s easier to understand a fast interval when you know it has a definite ending, which allows you to push yourself. The alternating speeds and difficulty levels give you something to focus on (besides your heavy breathing and burning muscles). You get The best of both worlds: the benefits of higher intensity work (faster steps or hills) Y active recovery work (slower steps).”
Endres outlines interval suggestions for different fitness levels, from beginner to advanced, depending on where you are.
beginners
- Warm-up: Assume a moderate pace while walking for 5 minutes.
- Intervals: Alternate 30 seconds of fast pace with 1 minute of moderate pace (x8).
- Cool Down: Assume a moderate pace while walking for 5 minutes. Then stretch it out.
Endres explains that the 30-second fast interval is when you should walk at the fastest pace possible while maintaining good form, pumping your arms, and performing a quick rotation of steps. (If you’re doing this walking exercise on a treadmill or in a hilly area, Endres says you can walk on an incline.)
Once the 30 seconds are up, it’s time to slow down and walk at a moderate pace—”the pace you use to get from your car to the store—not super fast, but not super slow either,” as Endres says.
Intermediate
- Warm-up: Assume a moderate pace while walking for 5 minutes.
- Work intervals: Alternate 1 minute of fast pace with 1 minute of moderate pace (x10).
- Cool Down: Assume a moderate pace while walking for 5 minutes. Then stretch.
For the 1-minute fast-paced interval, walk at the fastest pace you can successfully maintain. Eventually, Endres points out that this could turn into a light run or a sprint. (If you are doing this walking exercise on a treadmill or in a hilly area, walk on an incline.) Then slow down to your moderate 1-minute pace until the next interval begins.
Advanced
- Warm-up: Assume a moderate pace as you walk for 3 minutes, then jog, maintaining that moderate pace for 3 minutes.
- Work intervals: Alternate a 30 second sprint with a 30 to 60 second walk (x15).
- Cool Down: Assume a moderate pace while walking for 5 minutes. Then stretch.
Related: Boost Weight Loss With This 10-Minute Workout, Says Coach
If you want to kill two birds with one stone, do cardiovascular exercise Y strength at the same time, this will probably be your new favorite workout. “Alternate walking intervals with strength exercises. Incorporate training exercises like squats, step-ups on park benches or curbs, and incline push-ups on retaining walls. Or bring a resistance band or set of lightweight dumbbells for even more variety”. Endres explains.
Feel free to select whichever exercise makes the most sense based on your personal fitness goals and the equipment you have on hand. Endres goes on to say that it is crucial to practice and become 100% comfortable with your form before even thinking about incorporating dumbbells.
Here’s what a cardio + strength interval workout might look like:
- 1 minute walk (or you can walk from one corner to the next no matter how long it takes)
- 10 to 20 squats
- 10 to 15 overhead dumbbell presses (Stand up straight while holding two dumbbells on your shoulders. Your palms should be facing forward. Exhale as you raise the dumbbells above your head.)
- 1 minute walk
- 5-10 lunges per leg (you can use a tree, sturdy street sign, or retaining wall for balance).
- 10 to 15 incline pushups (You can use a sturdy park bench or retaining wall for this exercise. Endres notes, “The higher the incline, the easier they are!” Opt for the ground or on a curb for a move more advanced).
- Repeat until 30 minutes have passed.
Related: Accelerate Belly Fat Loss in Your 60s With These Floor Exercises, Trainer Says
This workout is a super fun way to spice up your typical walk around the neighborhood or your local community. Lace up your sneakers and grab a penny, then you’re good to go.
Endres instructs: “Decide when you will flip the coin, either after 1 minute of walking or when you come to a corner. Then decide what heads and tails mean!” She adds, “The ideas are endless! And this can be a really fun way to include the family, especially the kids. They’ll love tossing the coin and I bet they’ll come up with some fun toss ideas too.” “
Some ideas to start:
- If you turn heads, turn left; flip tails, turn right. Just make sure you don’t get lost!
- If you turn heads, move on to the next block; flip tails, walk backwards for 30 seconds, safely of course.
- If you turn heads, do 15 squats; flip tails, complete 15 jumping jacks.
- If you turn heads, do 30 seconds of lateral jumps, right and left; flip tails, hold a board for 30 seconds.
For more cardio inspiration, check out The best ways to increase visceral fat burning while walking, says a trainer Y The best outdoor cardio exercises to tone up fast, says a trainer.
